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- April 9, 1929. E. GRIESBAUM RAILROAD RAIL SPLICE BAR Filed July 1927 Ila/midi I [270 7a 15 Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES ERWIIN' G-RIESBAUM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RAILROAD-RAIL SPLICE BAR.

Application filed July 7, 1927. Serial No. 203,983.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in railroad track construction and more particularly to a splice bar for the rails.

The main objects of the invention are to provide simple and inexpensive means which will securely tie together the abutting ends of the rails and which is so constructed as to allow a certain amount of play for said rail ends without affecting said means.

Other objects of the invention are the provision of a splicing connection for the abutting ends of the rails said splicing connection having a three point engagement with said rails so disposed as to provide a sufiicient degree of flexibility between said rails and said splice bar for railroad rails, said bar having a single point engagement with the ball portions of the abutting rails and having a plurality of points of engagement with the base flanges of said rails, thereby permitting slight yielding movement of the parts relatively to each other and preventing excessive wear of the ball engaging portions of said splice bar.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a splicing connection for rails, whereby by the particular construction of said splicing connection a three point engagement in all planes is effected between said connection and the abutting rails. Thus the rails are held firmly together in all the planes but have sutlicient flexibility to allow lateral parallel motion of said rails.

Additional objects of the invention are the provision of an improved splice bar of the class described which is of simple construc tion and can be economically manufactured, can be readily secured in position, and which is adapted to be wedged between the opposed faces of the rail by use of suitable fastening devices, such as bolts and nuts. Preferably a plurality of such fastening devices are used and they are disposed within a defined area so that one of the bolts will be sufficient to hold the joint together as a unit.

lVith these and other objects in view my invention consists of certain novel features and arrangements of parts hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pair of splice bars and showing the rails in dot-anddash lines.

The splice bar 10 is in the form of an elongated plate of suitable thickness to provide the necessary strength and rigidity. The lower edge 16 of the bar is spaced from the upper face 15 of flange 15 and is provided at each end with a depending extension 16, the lower face of each of which is inclined from horizontal and is adapted to bear against the face 15 The upper edge 17 of said bar is spaced a suitable distance from the underside 12 of the ball portion 12 and is tapered downwardly near its ends 18 as indicated at 17. Centrally disposed on the upper edge 17 and projecting upwardly and laterally therefrom is a lug 19 having a curved end 19 which is adapted to bear against the curved surface formed by the junction of the underside l2 with the web 14. Lug 19 is of suitable width so as to provide the proper bearing surface between the rail ends and said lug. The underside 12 of ball portion 12 and the upper face 5 of flange 15 are inclined from horizontal and converge toward the web 14, thereby forming tapering seats for the reception of extensions 16 and 19 so that, when bar 10 is drawn towards the web 1 1, said extensions are wedged against the respective surfaces and form a secure joint therewith. The splice bars 10 are secured in position by means of suitable fastening devices such as bolts 20 which pass through suitable apertures formed in the web 14: and in said bars 10 and receive nuts 21 by means of which said bars may be clamped against said web. Preferably two bolts 20 are used the bolt apertures being disposed equi-distant from the vertical center of the bar and are arranged within the triangle formed by lines drawn between the points of interengagement of said splice bar with the rails.

The arrangement of a single point of em 7 portions 22ers spaced a suitable distance from the web portion of the rail and the downward extensions 22 are arranged at an angle to the body por ion, while the upward extensions 22 are considerably lengthened to bring them against the webs of therails.

The top and bottom edges of body portions.

22 are disposed angularly relative thereto as indicated at 28 and 24: respectively, thereby forming said splice channel shaped in cross section, which greatly strengthens the splice bar.

A rail joint formed by the use of my improved splice bars provides an efficient connection between the adjacentrails, is flexible to asuflicie'nt degree to allow a certain amount of play of the rails relatively to each other andto said spliceba-rs.

My improved splice bar can be. economically manufactured, contains but few parts and can be readily attached in position.

While I have shown and described the preferredfor-ms 'ofimy invention, obviously variouszminor changes can be made in the construction and size of my splice bar, without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A splice barrfor railway rails comprising a .singlepiece member havingan elongated body portion a'daptedto be spaced throughout itsentire length from the web portions of the abutting rails, said body portion being provided at its lower edge at each end with a projecting lug having an inclined face for engaging the upper face of the rail flange intermediate the edge thereof and the web portion of the rail, the upper edge of said body portion being provided with a laterally and centrally disposed lug for engaging the under sides of the ballportions of the abutting rails, thereby forming, a three point engagement between said splice bar, and the rails.

'2. A three point splice bar for railway rails comprising asingle piece member having an elongated body portion provided at its loweredge at each end thereof with a downwardly presented lug adapted to engage the upper face of theflange of each rail at a point spaced from the edge of said flange and the web portion of the rail, said body portion being provided at its upper edge with centrally disposed single lug in engagement with said body portion within the triangular area defined by the lines con necting said three points of engagement.

3. A splice bar for railway rails comprising a body portion provided at its lower edge near its ends with inwardly extending portions adapted to bearagainst the upper faces of the flanges of the abutting rails, said splice bar having its upper edgeprovided with an inwardly extending portion spaced intermediateof said lower portions and adapted to bear against the undersides of the ball portions of said railsthereby forming a three point engagement between said splice bar and said rails.

a. In a railway splice joint,.the. combination with two abutting rails, of an elongated splice bar arranged on each side of the abutting ends of saidrails and spaced therefrom throughout its entire length, each splice bar being provided at each end with a down wardlyprojecting lug engagingthe upper face of each rail flange at a point spaced from the edge of said flange and from the web portion of said rail, each splice bar being provided with a lug formed on its upper edge equidistant from the ends thereof and projecting laterally to. engage the undersides ofthe ball portions at their junction with the web portions of the rails whereby each splice bar has a three point engagement with the abutting rails both in vertical and horizontalplanes.

5. A splice bar for railroad rails comprising an elongated. member adapted to be placed parallel with the webs of the abutting rails, the edges of said member being spaced from the horizontal portions of said. rails, the lower edge of said member being provided with a plurality ofinward extensions having inclined vfaces adaptedrto engage the inclined upper faces of the rail flanges and the upper edge of said'member having a centrally disposed inward extension a aptedto engage theinclinedfaces of a the ball portions of said rails.

6. A fsplicebar for railway rails comprising an elongated member adapted to be placed parallel with the Webs of the abutting rails and havingits edges spaced from he horizontal portions thereof, and oppositely disposed extensions formed integrally with the edges of said member and extending inwardly therefrom, said extensions being adapted to bear against the oppositely inclined surfaces of the horizontally disposed portions of said rails for flexibly and securely joiningsaid rails.

7 In a railway splice joint, thecombination with two abutting rails, of an elongated splice bar arranged on each side of the abutting ends of said rails and spaced therefrom throughout its entire length, each splice bar being provided at each end with a downwardly projecting lug engaging the upper face of each rail flange at a point spaced from the edge of said flange and from the web portion of said rail, each splice bar being provided with a lug formed on its upper edge equidistant from the ends thereof and projecting laterally to engage the undersides of the ball portions at their junction with the web portions of the rails whereby each splice bar has a three point engagement with the abutting rails both in vertical and horizontal "planes, and securing means extending freely through the web portions of said rails and seated in the body portions of said splice bars at points disposed within the triangular areas defined by lines drawn between the points of engagement of said splice bars with said rails.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 2nd 'day of July, 1927.

ERWIN GRlESBAUM. 

